Somalilandsun- The Somali region of Ethiopia has lately been in the news in the Horn of Africa since guards changed hands in the capital Addis Ababa with Prime Minister’s Ahmed Abiy ascending to power in April following the unexpected resignation of HaileMariam Desalegn.
The political scenario has been punctuated by dramatic events; the take over of adminstrative capital Jigjiga by Ethiopian National Army, stand off between the army and the controversial paramilitary Liyu Police force, violent clashes that led to at least 15 deaths, rising animosity between ethnic Somalis and non local ethnic Oromo and the unexpected detention,resignation of regional president Abdi Mahmud Omar Iley and ONLF group declaration of a ceasefire.
Embattled Abdi Iley was replaced by his Financial Minister Ahmed Abdi Mohamed in an interim capacity upon orders from the Federal government.
Speculation as to who will be the next President of Ethio-Somali region has begun to make rounds in Ethiopia.
The last nail on the coffin of Abdi Iley’s political reign was hit on Monday when the ruling party in the region ESPDP elected Ahmed Shide the Federal Communications Minister as the chairman a position previously held by the former President and is seen as one of the possible replacements for Abdi Iley.
This temporary solution will likely be followed by bigger changes in the coming weeks in the Ethio-Somali region.
According to sources in Addis Ababa and Jigjiga among the front runners that are likely to replace Abdi Iley is Dr. Moha Farah Jire who if predictions by the sources come to pass she will become the first female and youngest regional president in the history of the region.
Interestingly Ethiopian media has in the past one week speculated the possibility of Dr.Moha taking over as the regional president.
The highly placed former journalist and known Pan Africanist Dr. Moha is said to be enjoying close ties with both Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy and Jigjiga’s political big wigs.
An insider in the federal government told Radio Dalsan that Dr.Moha had been proposed and recommended to head the troubled region.
The highly educated Dr Moha refers to herself as a “true Ethiopian- Somali” and has had decades of experience as a regional political and security analyst and advisor to the then African Union Chairman Jing Ping. She is also a Humanitarian Special Envoy for Ghana.
